First Avenue in Belltown is ripe with options for a post work cocktail or snack, but only one does it best with a pie propped atop a formidable stand. Having lived in the vicinity of Belltown Pizza for a few years, I’m keenly aware when it comes to the art of dough, cheese, and toppings, no one does it better among the high rise condos. 
Am I partial because The Loft is an official Gonzaga bar? Absolutely. That aside, there’s never a shortage of non-zags in the multi-floor, multi-tooled hangout on the southern end of the Ballard Avenue. The Loft’s bottom line is a good time, whether it be shuffelboard, pool, darts, or breakfast at 6am on St. Paddys day.
Isn’t it always nice when parents say, “Listen, my occupation has givin me and this family a lovely life. That being said, I do not want this for you.” Lucky for us, Mari Tiscareno Lee and husband, Walter, didn’t listen, so after years of service in a law firm and the military respectfully, opened Chinos this winter, following their parental sets into the volatile world of restaurants.
Dark, dank, and filled with animal heads. Your grandfather’s study? Well, maybe (probably), but also Smith on 15th Avenue atop Capitol Hill. To expect a shiny, bright menu would be to contradict the mounted deer on the wall, and therefore — does not exist. The void is simply filled with delectable, instinctual, indulgent eats and complimentary cocktails. Just like the doctor (or taxidermist) ordered.
With the weather dominating both sides of Lake Washington, requiring all those living in Seattle proper and abroad to test our sense of humor and backbones in this grey winter, it’s nice to see an eatery like the Beach Café in Kirkland having a bit of fun.
Big White is not as common a name as, say, Whistler, when it comes to Canadian ski resorts, but then why have I been to Whistler twice and Big White (which is a longer commute) four times in the same period? Legitimacy, my friends, legitimacy.
As Seattle’s temperamental weather system does everything it can to keep us numb and cold, we must seek our rick flavors in order to keep winter moving right along. Luckily, Bastille Café & Bar aims to please your palette with its newest Happy Hour addition: fresh oysters ($1 each), courtesy of Washington’s own Hama Hama Oyster Company.
On top of Queen Anne, there’s a little place named Targy’s Tavern that I’ve been drawn to for the past few years. More often than not, I guiltily find myself bypassing community hotspots like Paragon and Potrage and traveling a bit further west to Targy’s grey, nondescript facade.
Do you ever have one of those, “I’ve always walked by that place and never gone in,” moments? I get it. It’s raining outside and you don’t want to travel far, so just go to the usual spot and be done with it. Well, for people who live on Capitol Hill, own a car or can afford cab fare, consider Happy Hour at
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